UPDATE: NOFX Issue Full Apology For “Shameful” Las Vegas Shooting Joke: “We Crossed The Line”
ORIGINAL STORY: NOFX have promised to apologise in an “in depth” statement, after making what they called an “insensitive” joke about the 2017 Las Vegas music festival shooting at a recent show.
The punk stalwarts were criticised earlier this week for joking about muslims and the Las Vegas concert shooting, which claimed the lives of 58 people at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival.
“We played a song about Muslims and we didn’t get shot,” frontman Fat Mike told the crowd at Las Vegas’ Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival on Sunday.
“I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you are in a country band,” replied guitarist Eric Melvin, to which Fat Mike responded, “That sucked, but at least they were country fans and not punk rock fans.”
In a statement released today, and seemingly written by Fat Mike, the singer said the band will be making a full apology.
“I can’t sleep, no one in my band can,” the statement reads.
“What we said in Vegas was shitty and insensitive and we are all embarrassed by our remarks.
“So we decided we will all get together to discuss and write an in depth, sincere, and honest apology because that’s what the people we offended and hurt deserve.”
After footage of NOFX’s comments made their way online, the band lost their beer sponsorship with San Diego’s Stone Brewing Co., the brewery behind the group’s beer and music festival Punk In Drublic.
“We at Stone Brewing are aware of NOFX’s insensitive and indefensible statements this past weekend,” the company said in a statement.
“As a result, we are severing all our ties with NOFX, including festival sponsorship and the production of our collaboration beer.”
The brewery also announced plans to donate profits from NOFX’s beer to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation.
The Route 91 Harvest shooting, which left almost 500 people injured, was the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
— NOFX (@NOFXband) May 31, 2018
